Sleeping With A Ghost
by jannikajade
Summary: All your plans and all your dreams. Sometimes life can get in the way. Seventy years into the future Derek tells Marti a part of his past she never knew. Why is it so important to him now? Can past mistakes be fixed? DASEY.
1. Memories

**Author's Note:** So I'm back with a new very long story. A Dasey of course. Although not a typical one i admitt. Its set at first almost 70 years into the future, but there will be lots of flashbacks. Possibly every other chapter. at least thats the thought at the moment. There will be some Lizwin too, down the road.

This is the kind of first chapter the leaves a lot of questions, at least i hope it does. Thats the idea anyway. I hope its not too confusing. I wasn't even sure about posting it, but I had some encouragement from two of my favorite people, so here it is. Enjoy.

Oh and its Marti's PoV.

**Disclaimer**: Not mine. Still.

**April 18th 2073**

Marti had depended on Derek her entire life. Her earliest memory was of the two them sitting on the floor in her room: she's sitting on his lap, and he's reading her a story. It was just a snap shot in her memory, but she knew that it was an accurate representation of the first few years of her life. When Marti was a toddler, their parents fought all the time, loudly and violently and at all hours. Derek was in grade school then, and he used to sneak into her room and distract her. They'd play games, or read stories, or he'd sing her songs so she wouldn't be scared by the fighting. Sometimes Edwin would come in too, but most of the time it was just Derek and Marti.

Then one day when she was four, their mother was just gone. Their father had locked himself in his room, and he wouldn't answer any of their questions. It had been Derek who called their grandmother, so they could eat dinner, and Derek who had insisted on tucking Marti in that night; reassuring her that he would never leave. Their father left his room the next day, and by the end of that week he had seemed almost like himself again. Their mother never did come fully back into their lives. The divorce was finalized when Mari was five, and afterwards she only saw her mother a few times a year. Derek and Edwin saw her less.

By the time her father remarried, Derek was the most important person in her life. He was the one who explained to her that three new people, all girls, would be coming to stay at their house. He was the one who told her that it would be good for her to have other girls in the house, and that she would like having sisters. Marti had wrinkled her nose up and said,

"I don't need sisters Smerek, I got you," he had laughed, ruffled her hair and said,

"And I'm not going anywhere; you'll always have me Smarti."

Now, almost seventy years later, he was still the most important person in her life. She sighed as she made the turn into the Blossom Grove Personal Care Home. It was a deceptively cheerful building, with its winding driveway and lush green campus filled with tree and flowers. Its bricks were a pretty rosy red, and each of it three floors had a large porch, decorated with flowers and streamers. Inside it was always brightly light with soft music playing, and the staff always greeted her affectionately. Yet every time Marti pulled onto the property she was overcome with a depression that didn't fade until hours after she'd driven away.

It was strange, Derek didn't seem unhappy here. In fact, in many ways he was the same old Derek, flirting with all the nurses and female residents, TV constantly tuned to sports of some kind, normally hockey. It just didn't seem right though, these places where for old people and despite all the decades that had passed and all the gray hairs that had grown, Marti just couldn't think of Derek or herself as old.

He was 82 now, and he'd been living here since his second stoke last spring. He still got around well, and the nurses always assured her he was doing well. It amazed her though, that ten years could make such a difference. It hadn't seemed like so large a gap since they were kids. At 72 Marti still worked part-time. She took yoga three days a week and art classes on Thursdays. She was active in Community Theater, dated frequently, and was still in perfect health. She still felt young most days, but Derek living here, with his thinning frame and persistent cough, sometimes looked like an old man, and it scared her.

She came as often as she could. She hated for him to be alone. Edwin came when he could manage, but his health wasn't much better than Derek's, and it was hard for him and his wife to travel. Besides, it had always been Derek and Marti. Sometimes she marveled at how alike they were. Neither of them had ever really settled down. Derek had never married and never had any children. He was a lifelong bachelor and player- dating several girls for long periods of time, but always unwilling to make that final commitment. She had married once, very young, too young, mostly as a way to escape, to attempt to avoid the mistakes of her brothers. She had two children, twin boys, but her marriage had lasted only five years. She'd been something of a serial dater ever since, men always found it difficult to keep up with her.

She found a parking space and grabbed her purse. Derek had called her early that morning. He said he had something he really needed her help with. Trying to shake the nagging feeling of depression she always had in this building, she walked through the front doors and signed herself in as a visitor. She rode the elevator up to three, Derek's floor, and stepped off; taking a deep breath to prepare herself for whatever it was he needed help with.

"Hi," Angie one of the nurses greeted her as she got off the elevator, "He's been waiting for you." she said, smiling. Derek was defiantly one of the staff's favorite patients. His charm hadn't faded over the years, if anything, it had increased.

"Hi," Marti said back, "how is he today?" she asked.

"Impatient," Angie said grinning affectionately, "He's been pacing, whatever he has to tell you, it must be really important to him."

"Ok, I won't keep him waiting any longer then," Marti said, giving a wave and heading down the familiar hall to Derek's room.

He was standing in front of his window when she got there.

"Derek?" she asked as she walked into his room. He spun around.

"Good. I'm glad you're here." he said walking over to his favorite chair and sitting down. Marti pulled out a desk chair and sat across from him.

"What's up?" she asked, "Angie said you've been pacing."

"She just likes to watch me," he said playfully.

"Well you are the one and only Derek Venturi," she said playing along.

"Someone has to be," he replied grinning.

"Seriously Derek, what's going on? I know you called me down here for a reason," Marti said.

"Yeah, I did," he said, "I've been doing a lot of thinking Smarti, and it occurred to me, that I'm old. So there are some things, that if I'm going to do them, I need to do them soon, before I die or get too senile," he said.

"Like a will?" Marti asked, puzzled. She was pretty sure Derek already had a will.

"No. I have one of those, and if I needed it changed, I have lawyers for that. No, I need you to help me with some more personal things. Some loose ends. Things I probably should have done a long time ago. If you can." He said.

"Of course," she said feeling curious.

"Good," he said, then paused and starred off, right above her head and said nothing for several minutes. She grimaced, she hated when his mind wandered away like this. She saw it as just one more sign he was old, and she didn't like it.

"Derek?" she prompted.

"You know," he said, still not looking at her and sounding far away, "She used to tell me, that statistically, it was more likely that I'd leave her all alone. Men die earlier than women she'd say. She used to joke that she'd be in a nursing home, yelling out my name for years after I was gone."

"Who did?" Marti asked feeling a little alarmed. She had no idea what Derek was talking about, or who he had ever been close enough with to have a conversation like that. His eyes snapped back to her.

"There are some things," he started then stopped, "things I never told you."

"What things?" she asked.

"I was engaged once," he said, smiling sadly.

"You… what?" she asked totally thrown by this information.

"I was engaged, I was in love, I was really happy." He said, shrugging.

"When were you engaged? Why didn't I ever know? And who where you engaged to?" Marti asked, still feeling stunned.

"Fifty-two years ago. Because very few people knew, it was all very secret, and," he paused, "Casey."

"Casey." Marti repeated slowly. She should have known.


	2. Feel Good Family moments

**Author's Note:** Thank you guys so much for the wonderful reviews to the first chapter. I know I haven't gotten back to anyone about them yet, and I always do. I plan to, really, but its been an odd week and I really wanted to get this chapter out before the weekend. Plus I'm really really excited about the next chapter. I really did love each and every review I received though and I will respond to them all.

This is flashback chapter. There will be a lot of those, obviously. The LWD timeline makes it really hard to date things, (that and the fact that I can never tell what time of year it is on LwD. Derek always needs his jacket and it seems to ALWAYS be hockey season. I can't figure it out) But this takes place about a year after "The Wedding," Which I've decided makes it spring of Derek and Casey's Junior year. Its not super important, but just an FYI I guess.

Oh and its in Derek's PoV, all the flashback chapters will be. I think. And I'm pretty sure this answers none of the questions I was asked last chapter. I'll get there though. I promise.

Enjoy.

**Disclaimer**: Not mine. Still.

* * *

_May 14th 2007_

Derek was having a difficult week. First there had been homework even he couldn't avoid doing if he wanted to pass his junior year. Then there was the fact that Coach was supposed to announce next years's hockey team captain on Monday. It was now Thursday and all he had said so far was,

"It's a tough call boys, I'll let you know by the end of the week I promise,"

Then on Tuesday some little sophomore soccer playing moron(Derek hated guys that played soccer) named Ronnie had started telling everyone he was going to 'take Derek down' and 'kick his ass' and basically just running his mouth all over school. So Derek had figure out a way to put a stop that, while trying to deal with all the other stresses in his week.

To top it all off, his already over crowded house had another body in it this week. Nora's sister Fiona was staying with them. She was eight months pregnant and hadn't wanted to be alone while her husband was away on business and Victoria was away on some school trip. So she was sleeping on his couch and eating all his food. Derek didn't even dislike Fiona, but it always freaked him out a little to hear Edwin and Marti call her 'Aunt Fiona.' The fact that he'd hooked up with her daughter made ever thinking of her as his aunt impossible. It led to all sorts of uncomfortable thoughts, and he didn't do that. Besides, before he could even consider thinking of her as his aunt, he'd have to think of Casey as his sister. And that was never going to happen. That would lead to more uncomfortable thoughts than Derek was capable of handling.

At the moment, as he walked home from school in the rain, his non sister was beside him, lecturing him on the prank he'd played today to shut Ronnie up. They approached the driveway and he noticed that all the cars were gone and briefly wondered where everyone had gone before turning his attention back to Casey.

"It was funny, Casey, funny." Derek spat as he threw open the front door.

"No, it was horrible. Ronnie was crushed!" Casey said, sounding exasperated.

"Ronnie is a jerk, he had it coming!" Derek said defensively.

"You are so immature." Casey said.

"It. Was. A. Joke." Derek said, annunciating each word carefully as though talking to a child.

"A cruel joke." Casey fired back.

"Please, anyone with half a sense of humor would have found it funny!" Derek said, throwing up his arms in aggravation.

"Just because I don't find your juvenile antics funny, does not mean I have no sense of humor." Casey said acidly.

"My antics? What are you 80? Don't you go to high school? Watch TV? The fake love note is a classic. Did you see his face when he showed up to meet his phantom girl? Priceless." Derek said feeling pleased with himself.

"He was devastated Derek! How can you find that funny?" Casey asked.

"He was talking too much, telling people he was gonna kick my ass, I had to do something." Derek said, rolling his eyes.

"Derek, you hooked up with his ex-girlfriend, before she was his ex!" Casey said.

"So?" Derek asked, crossing his arms over his chest "would you rather I actually fought with him?"

"No! You could have, I don't know, apologized to him," Casey said looking about ready to kill him.

"Why would I do that?" Derek asked.

"Ugh!" Casey yelled in frustration.

"Hi Kids!" Fiona yelled from the top of the stairs. Derek hadn't even noticed her.

"Oh, Hi Aunt Fiona!" Casey said, looking slightly embarrassed, "How are you feeling today?"

"Just fine, thank you Casey." Fiona said, smiling, "I was just about to have a little nap in Lizzie's room. Your mother and George took the kids to a program at Marti's school, they'll be out till nine or so." she said.

"Ok, we'll try and be quiet so you can rest." Casey said then turned to glare at Derek, "Won't we Derek?" she asked him, her voice sugary sweet.

"Of course." Derek said matching her tone and throwing an arm around her for effect. Fiona shook her head, and continued down the hall to take her nap.

Derek and Casey stood in silence for a minute, then she shoved his arm off her shoulders and they headed to the kitchen.

"You know what I think Case?" Derek said after he pulled a snack out of the refrigerator. Casey rolled her eyes,

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me." She said, pouring herself a glass of water.

"I think you did find it funny, but you feel guilty about being amused, and you are projecting all that guilt onto me." He said.

"That's actually an intelligent theory. Wrong, but intelligent. I'm almost impressed." Casey said.

"Wow, thanks," Derek said dryly, "you know just because I'm not a; nerdy, know-it-all, grade grubbing, loser; does not mean I'm a complete idiot," he said.

"I haven't grubbed almost a year and you know it." Casey said, narrowing her eyes at him. He smirked in response, "Actually, as I recall, the last time I did, it was to save your butt, so-"

"Ok, Ok" he cut her off, "Point taken." he said.

"Thank you." she said primly. They stared at each other in silence for a moment, and then Derek smirked and said,

"It was funny."

"Derek! You are so-" Casey began, but she never got to say what exactly he was because at that moment Fiona yelled from upstairs,

"Casey? Derek?" sounding panicked. They bolted up the steps and found her sitting on the edge of Lizzie's bed, breathing hard.

"Are you ok?" Casey asked.

"I think my water just broke," Fiona said.

"Well have you been having contractions?" Casey asked, clearly trying to sound calm.

"I guess so," she panted, "I mean they didn't seem all that bad so I wasn't sure but now," she sucked in her breath and winced, "yeah, that was defiantly one."

"Derek! What are you doing? Help me!" Casey yelled, whirling on Derek who had backed up from the bed.

"Calling Nora. Chill Casey," He said, "shit." he breathed a moment later when her cell phone's voicemail picked up. He took a deep breath then called his dad it went straight to voicemail. At that moment Fiona let out another yell of pain and began breathing quickly. A bolt of lightening lit the sky outside and Casey looked panicked. Derek groaned. He didn't have time to call every adult in his phone book for help. Shaking his head he hit 911 on his cell phone.

He had barely finished dialing when Fiona let out another yell. He described the situation to the operator who answered trying to keep his tone calm.

"Casey!" he yelled after a quick conversation with the operator, "go get some towels while I hrlp Fiona to the floor."

"What?" She asked, "Derek why?"

"The operator is going to walk us through it just go." He said, lowering a heavy breathing Fiona to the ground, phone still connected to 911.

"Walk us through it-" Casey started, then a look of understanding flashed in her eyes, "We're going to deliver a baby," she whispered. Derek nodded.

"Her contractions are so close together, by the time the ambulance got here-" he didn't get to finish his sentence, she'd already run down the hall for the towels.

-----------------------------------------------------

Later, after they delivered the baby without fighting once. After the ambulance had arrived and driven Fiona and her new baby boy to the hospital. After his dad and Nora had been found and rushed home. After Lizzie said she was sorry she missed it, and Edwin joked it was terrible that the first thing the baby saw was their faces. After Marti asked where babies came from anyway and Nora and his dad got all flustered. After they visited the hospital and what seemed like the entire staff told Derek and Casey what a good job they'd done and how they'd saved the day.

After all that, they sat, totally exhausted. on Derek's bed leaning against her headboard side by side. Derek yawned, feeling strangely content.

"You know," Casey began, "its funny, but every time we work together, it seems like something big happens," she said, turning her head to look at him.

"I've noticed that." he admitted, shrugging. Normally he would have denied it or made fun of her, but after the chaos of his week and then the craziness of delivering a baby, he just didn't have the energy.

"I wonder what would happen if we worked together all the time?" she mused. He laughed.

"It would never happen." he said, "We're way too good at fighting."

"I guess, and to work together all the time, we'd probably have to agree all the time too." She said, smiling lightly.

"Yeah, and sometimes you really piss me off," he said, but he was smiling too.

"I know the feeling," she said. The lapsed into a comfortable silence for a minute, and then Casey said,

"Hey Derek?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"You really like kids don't you? I mean the way you held baby Christopher and the way you are with Marti, it's really sweet." she said.

"I never really thought about," he said honestly, shrugging, "but I guess I do." he said. Then he grinned and turned to look at her fully, "sweet huh?" he asked.

"Yes. Not a word I would have ever thought I'd use to describe you, but yes. Sweet." she said, smiling and looking thoughtful, like she had just realized something for the first time.

"What's with that look?" he asked, "you're not thinking this could be our 'feel good family moment' are you? Because really Casey I-"

"No." she cut him off, "that's not what I was thinking at all actually." she said smiling somewhat sadly, "but it's probably what I should have been thinking," she finished then got up off his bed.

"You're leaving?" he asked trying to process what she just said.

"Yeah I really should," she said, "Good night Derek." she said and turned to walk out of his room.

"Night Casey" he said, not sure why he was so sad to see her go.

* * *

End Chapter. 

Kind of a strong hints of serious Dasey to come chapter.

hope you enjoyed.


	3. Never should have let them dance

**Author's note:** You guys are way too good to me. Seriously. Thank you all so much for the reviews so far. I've seen three new episodes of LWD in the past week so I'm feeling inspired. How great have these last two episodes been? Now that Derek and Kendra have broken up the Dasey shippy banter is up again. I'm loving it. Also was anyone but me REALLY excited to see Sam, Ralph, Sheldon and Tinker in 'Power Struggle'? It made my night. I thought we might never see Sam again. And how sweet is it that Emily and Sheldon are still together?

I've really got to stop rambling about episodes in my author's note. I think I'm going to start a live journal and call it like, 'Steph's sarcastic and incredibly Dasey biased reviews of Life With Derek episodes' just so I have somewhere to pull all the commentary I always have on these episodes.

ANYWAY- This chapter is a mostly a 'in the past' chapter, from Derek's PoV, but there is a little bit of Derek and Marti at then end. Because didn't want to go another chapter with out clearing an important question up. Oh- I have no real knowledge of Hockey or high school sports. So my reference here is probably wrong, I totally made it up. I hope it makes the point though.

Enjoy :-)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life With Derek, or the song, "I'll be" by Edwin Macain that I use in the this chapter. I own nothing.

* * *

"_Dancing is a perpendicular expression of horizontal desire"_

_George Bernard Shaw._

* * *

**May 30th 2008**

Senior Prom. Derek ran a hand through his shaggy hair and grinned at his reflection in the mirror. His rented tuxedo jacket and pants sat perfectly, his metallic blue vest matched his tie and his date's dress, and Nora had taken the time to polish his old dress shoes so they looked brand new. He was ready. Of course, the real preparation for this night had begun months ago, when he'd needed to figure out dates. His date had been easy, he'd just walked up to Erin Richards, a blonde he'd been casually flirting with for years, and asked her. She'd been thrilled. Casey's date had taken more work. He couldn't let her go with some guy who'd try and do the whole clichéd prom-hotel-room-sex thing with her.

So he'd taken advantage of the fact that he heard EVERYTHING that went on at JS Thompson High, and had a little talk with every guy he heard might be planning to ask her.

"You're going to ask who? Casey Macdonald huh? Yeah, yeah she is. She's also my step sister. Did you know I hold the all province record for checking and defensive moves two years running? What? Yes I think Suzie Hart is still free. Good call."

It worked like a charm, and Casey had ended up with Tim Jenson, one of the most polite, responsible, respectful guys in the senior class. He couldn't let her be completely dateless, he wasn't that mean, and besides she'd just gone through another break up. This one from Greg Harris. Casey's love life followed a very predictable cycle. She was always in a relationship, but they all ended with in a couple months. She'd mope for a while, and then a few weeks later, she'd try it all over again. She'd seemed extra upset by this last breakup, probably because it was so close to prom. Not that he'd have wanted her going with Greg, he'd defiantly been a hotel room type. Tim was a good guy though, and Derek he was confident he wouldn't try anything. Plus, as far as Casey knew he was the only guy who'd ever planned to ask her. Well except Tinker of course.

He gave his hair a last ruffle and grinned, he was ready. He put his walled in his jacket pocket and left his room. When he got to the top of the steps he saw that he and Casey were the last ones ready. The rest of their group had already gathered in his living room. He smirked at the scene in front of him. Edwin was trying, and failing to flirt with Erin, who just looked bored, while Lizzie rolled her eyes and sent him dirty looks. Sheldon and Emily were talking to a frightened looking Tim. Marti had sat herself on Sam's lap and seemed to be insisting he and his girlfriend, Brittney, should take her with him the dance. His dad and Nora were trying to figure out how the camera worked.

"Hey Ed get your own dates!" He called as he walked down the stairs.

"Derek!" Erin said, standing up and beaming at him. She walked over to embrace him and Edwin muttered something under his breath and walked over to Lizzie. He returned her hug lightly and said a quick hello to everyone else in the room.

"Derek, can you figure this thing out? At this rate it will be Marti's prom by the time Nora and I get it right," His dad said, tossing him the camera.

"It will be Marti's prom by the time Casey is ready anyway," he said turning the camera on; slightly annoyed that Erin was still holding his arm.

"Oh please Derek. You've been ready for about a minute longer than me." Casey called, walking down the stairs. He whirled around to look at her, ready to say something smart ass back, but the words died in his throat. She was all in pink, from the little beads in her hair to the shoes on her feet. Her jewelry was silver and she just looked, glowing, stunning.

"Wow, Casey you look beautiful," Tim said meeting her at the bottom of the stairs and taking her hand. Derek resisted the urge to hit him.

"You all look wonderful." Nora said, smiling fondly at her daughter, "Well it looks like you guys are all ready for picture," Nora announced, "You have the camera all set up Derek?"

"Yeah," he said, gruffly, handing the camera over without even looking at Nora. His eyes were still following Casey.

"Ok kids, lets line you all up the front yard," Nora said. His dad opened the door and led them all outside.

"Can I take the pictures? Please?" Marti begged.

"I think we'd better let Nora handle this one," His dad said.

"No one ever lets me have any fun!" Marti pouted, "Too little to go to prom. Can't take pictures. Can't have fun!" Everyone laughed. Derek tore his eyes away from Casey long enough to smile at his little sister. Then the pictures started and the prom had officially begun.

------------

Derek was bored. Erin was in the bathroom, fixing her make up for the 8th time in two hours. He glanced out on the dance floor, finding Sam and Brittney and Emily and Sheldon, all looking like they were having an amazing time. He didn't see Casey and Tim though, so he tuned his gaze to the people sitting at tables or standing on the outside of the floor hoping to find them.

She was sitting at a table, by herself. Her left arm was on the table and her chin was propped in her hand. Her legs were crossed and she was swinging one pink high heel clad foot back and forth, looking bored. Tim was nowhere in sight. On impulse he got up and walked over to her.

"Hey Case," He said. She looked up at him.

"Hey Derek," she said back.

"Where's Tim?" he asked.

"No idea. Ask Hannah Belit." Casey said bitterly.

"His ex-girlfriend?" Derek asked, puzzled.

"Not so ex." Casey said with a sigh.

"Oh. That sucks," Derek said, adding, 'kill Tim' to his mental to do list.

"Yeah. It really does." she said, "Where's Erin?"

"Fixing her make-up. Again." he said. The song in the background faded to another slow song as Casey made an amused noise.

"Typical", she said then looked at him suspiciously, "why did you come over here?" She asked him, looking suddenly like she thought he may be holding a water balloon behind his back.

"I have something to ask you," he said.

"Yes, Derek I'd love to make up a cover for you to our parents so you can take your slutty date to a sleazy hotel. No problem," she quipped sarcastically.

"Cute," he said, "But actually I was going to ask you to dance," he said.

"With you?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes with me. Now agree before I change my mind." he said, grinning.

"Always so self-assured, I could say no," she muttered, but she was standing up.

"You could." he agreed, grabbing her hand and leading her to the dance floor. They found a spot and he put his hands loosely around her waist. She slipped her arms around his neck gingerly, not allowing her hands to touch him, and they began to dance.

"_The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful  
Stop me and steal my breath  
Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky  
Never revealing their depth  
Tell me that we belong together  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
I'll be captivated  
I'll hang from your lips  
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above "_

"I love this song," Casey said.

"Every girl in the world loves this song," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Must you ruin this by talking?" she asked.

"Me? You talked first?" he said, involuntarily tightening his grip on her waist.

"Yeah but I made a nice comment about the music. You said something stupid," She said.

"I was making an observation on women," he said.

"Oh that's right. I forgot. You're an expert," she said, her hands now grazing the back of his neck.

"Yes I am," he said smirking, "and it's my expert opinion that every girl ever loves this song," he said, using his left hand to make small circles on her back, not thinking about what he was doing or why he was doing it.

"Funny," she said, "You'd think being an expert and all, you'd have picked a date who didn't spend all night in the bathroom," she said, one of her hands playing with a lock of his shaggy hair.

"I didn't pick Erin for her intelligence or conversation skills," he said. They'd moved closer to one another during this exchange, and now their chests were almost touching as they swayed back and forth to the music. This was quickly becoming dangerous, but he didn't care. The music and holding her was making all thoughts of consequences and reality drift away.

"Why did you pick her then oh great expert?" she said mockingly.

"Because she fills out her prom dress really well," he said with a grin.

"Pig," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey you asked," he said, trailing a hand up and down her back, his fingers playing with the lacy design.

"I was hoping you had real reason," She said moving even closer to him.

"_I've been dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead  
Tuned in, turned on, __Remembered the things that you said _

_I'll be your crying shoulder,  
I'll be love's suicide  
I'll be better when I'm older,  
I'll be the greatest fan of your...  
I'll be your crying shoulder,  
I'll be love's suicide  
I'll be better when I'm older,  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life._

_The greatest fan of your life.  
...greatest fan of your life"_

"Sorry to disappoint, he said, "if it helps, you fill out yours better," he said, the words escaping before he could stop them.

"Derek-" she started, looking alarmed at his statement and how intimate their dance position had become.

"And," he said cutting her off, "You are intelligent, with great conversation skills," he finished, brining a hand up to her cheek,

"We shouldn't," she whispered frantically, trying to take a step back, but he held her close.

"Probably not," he agreed softly.

The song ended and a loud hip-hop hit came on its place. They jumped apart.

"Let's get out of here," he said.

"What?" she asked. They were standing on the dance, floor just looking at each other as their fellow students gyrated all around them.

"Let's leave," he said, grinning.

"We can't just leave," she said.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Well for one your date, Erin," she said.

"So?" he asked.

"You can't just leave her," Casey said.

"Yes I can," he said, "She'll have someone else to dance with about thirty seconds after we leave. I'm not worried," he said, reaching for her hand and pulling her off the dance floor,

"Emily!" Casey said, "And Sheldon and Sam and Brittney, we can't just leave them," she protested, but she didn't let go of Derek's hand.

"I don't think they'll miss us," Derek said, nodding his head towards the blissfully happy couples on the dance floor. Sheldon gave Emily and quick kiss as they danced and she grinned, locking an arm around his neck. Brittney and Sam danced, moving much too slow for the beat of the song, both glowing. Casey looked at them and sighed.

"Ok. Good point. What about prom king announcement?" she offered.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked.

"You're nominated!" she said, "What if you win? Don't you want to be here?"

"I'm not going to win," he said laughing.

"What? How do you know?" she asked.

"Because it's fixed Casey. After nominations came out, the prom committee came up to me and asked me if I wanted to win. I told them no," he said.

"That's appalling!" she said, "it's supposed to be an election! Based on votes!" she said angrily.

"Relax. Its just Prom king and queen, not world leaders," he said laughing.

"It's the principle of the thing Derek." she said huffily then she paused, "Why'd you tell them no?"

"Prom King its just…" he shrugged, "its kind of a keener thing don't you think? Besides, I told them to pick Sheldon and Emily. They deserve it." he said.

"And they're going to listen to you?" she asked.

"I'm Derek Venturi," he said rolling her eyes, "of course they are."

"Using your power for good?" She said, "That's so sweet,"

"Yes. I'm a saint." he deadpanned, "Can we leave now?"

"Ok," she said, gripping his hand tightly, then her eyes got wide, "Wait! No. Derek we can't leave together. People will talk!" she said.

"It's May of our senior year. Let them talk." he said, tugging on her hand.

"But your reputation, if you leave with me-" she began the trailed off. Her protest sounded weak. Even as she said it, she stepped closer to him, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Screw my reputation." he said, "And Casey, if the next thing you say is something along the lines of, 'this is wrong, our parents are married'," he paused and shook his head, "I might loose my mind."

"I wasn't going to say that," she said, "I'll probably say it tomorrow, but for tonight. You win." she said, allowing him to lead her outside.

"I always win." he said smiling, "after all, what Derek wants-" he began.

"Derek gets," she finished for him.

"Exactly," he said. They reached the parking lot, and he led her to his car. When they got there he stepped in front of her and put an arm on either side of her, then he leaned her against his car, leaned in and kissed her. Her hands snaked back around his neck, and his hands found her waist as they deepened the kiss. They didn't break apart for hours.

--------

**April 18th 2073**

"So you guys where together that whole summer?" Marti said, cutting Derek off before he started to go into more details about what exactly he and Casey had done that night.

"Sort of," he said, "we had a huge fight that next day, but then we got back together. We fought a lot that summer actually," he said.

"Then what happened?" Marti asked, wishing Derek would sit down and stop pacing. He'd been moving back and forth around his room for an hour now telling her how he and Casey had gotten together.

"Well the week before we left for college, Edwin and Lizzie walked in on us making out," he said, "Casey had a total meltdown. She said we were corrupting our siblings and that we'd probably scarred them for life," he said smiling wryly at the memory. "She became insistent it was really wrong to continue to be together. She broke it off that night," he said.

Marti nodded. Edwin and Lizzie catching them explained a lot actually. Although she was pretty sure Edwin and Lizzie were more inspired that scarred for life, given what happened later.

"You guys got back together eventually though right?" Marti asked.

"Yeah, it took awhile though," He said, "we had all sorts of encounters during college, but they didn't work out quite right," he said.

"So when did you get together and stay together?" Marti asked.

"We were twenty-five." Derek said.

"So that means you had seven years together before-"

"Before she died." Derek finished his tone suddenly bitter. He walked over the window and gazed out it thoughtfully, looking mournful. Marti sighed; it was going to be a long visit.

* * *

End Chapter. I've never written a prom before. Several people had asked me if Casey was in fact dead. So now you know. 

Oooh.. bonus points to anyone who gets the reference in the title of the chapter.

Hope you guys liked it. :-)


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